


Hurry Up, We're Dreaming: A Tale of Unknowns

by AtlanticFish



Category: M83 - Fandom
Genre: Anxiety, Based on a song, Depression, Dystopia, F/M, Inspired by Music, Mental Health Issues, Music, Mutants, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Romance, Song Lyrics, mental health
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-27
Updated: 2019-12-10
Packaged: 2020-10-29 09:47:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 22
Words: 17,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20794640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AtlanticFish/pseuds/AtlanticFish
Summary: Each chapter of this short story pairs with a song from M83's album, Hurry Up, We're Dreaming.





	1. Intro

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains life threatening situations, mentions of guns, and themes of institutional discrimination, persecution, and violence against marginalized groups.

When Eri first met Mat, both working through college as servers at his parent’s Japanese restaurant, she’d never imagined giving birth to their first and only child in the restaurant’s backroom in the middle of the worst blizzard in their small town’s history. Granted, their part of California didn’t get much snow. And granted, with her heart condition, she had never expected to have even a single child.

Images and impressions floated through her head. She was pain. She was tearing agony. She was her heart, beating, pounding, breaking, straining, fading.

Clutching his daughter to his chest, Mat begged his wife to hold on and checked the window. The snow had ceased falling, the sun was shining, and the ambulances were finally roaring toward the hospital. Looking down at his daughter, he cracked a smile. “We’re in luck.”

***

The restaurant was packed the night the lottery was called. Yet Eri stayed in the backroom, watching the numbers appear on the fuzzy little television. Bouncing her daughter on her knee, she tried to keep her breathing steady as each number on her ticket appeared on the screen. She’d bought the ticket on a whim during a diaper run. Everyone had bought a ticket, but she would be the only recipient of what, after taxes, came to about $50 million.

***

That their daughter might be an Unknown, a mutant child with unimaginable powers, had certainly crossed their minds, but on her eighth birthday, Mat and Eri took their her to a clandestine testing facility that confirmed their suspicions. Although these were the days before the government roundups, persecution of Unknowns was becoming more and more common, especially in marginalized communities, and most experts assumed the situation would escalate.

They told only their parents. Mat’s parents promised they would do anything to protect their granddaughter. Eri’s parents told them to give the child up to the government or else never to contact them again. This blow struck extra hard as they’d named their daughter after Eri’s mother.

The young girl thought long and hard about her name, her grandmother, and her broken family. Then she cheerfully asked whether she might take the name of her absolute favorite book character. Mat and Eri wondered whether letting their daughter rename herself after one of the Babysitter’s Club girls was really a good idea, but Claudia tended to get her way when it really mattered.

***

School was challenging for Claudia. Due to her luck, she could get a perfect score on a multiple choice test by closing her eyes and randomly bubbling answers. But in order to keep her Unknown status a secret, she’d need to study to actually know the material well enough that she could have gotten the hundred without her powers. To keep up the charade, Claudia sacrificed her sleep and her health, taking the hardest classes and staying up most nights to learn the material.

Her unhealthy habits worsened her depression, but she hoped graduating with honors from Stanford and maintaining her secret would be well worth the sacrifice.

She imagined it would have been, and she would have had a fantastic career had the government roundups not begun a month after her graduation.

With careful planning and, of course, Claudia’s luck, the family fortune had grown. Her parents had funneled the funding into Unknown activist splinter groups and, thus, were among the first to heart rumors about the roundups. They moved to a new house that smelled of the sea, although Claudia would be confined to the basement, lit only by miniature overhead windows. Sometimes her parents took the ten minute walk to the ocean. She didn’t want to begrudge them this small pleasure, but every time they did, she wept.

On the small television, Claudia watched her people rounded up and sent to domed cities. Those in charge promised that this solution was only temporary. The Unknowns needed to be registered and studied. Police needed to be able to know exactly how to contain Unknowns who broke laws. Unknowns were unpredictable, uncontrollable, and unquantifiable. Because Unknowns weren’t technically human, human rights did not apply.

The roundups targeted poor and marginalized Unknowns, those without the finances or power to defend or hide themselves. Those with strange appearances and uncontrollable abilities were the first to be seized. Occasionally, a celebrity’s child would be taken, but those with multi-generational wealth usually had a way of hiding their own.

Without her powers, it’s likely she wouldn’t have been so lucky.

But was this luck? Spending her days in a basement reading books and watching reruns while her people suffered? She needed to use her luck to protect her people. A chilling thought haunted her dreams: what if staying here was lucky because it prevented her from sharing in a horrific fate?

***

On the morning of the raid, Claudia wore her best dress, knowing unconsciously that she should. When the soldiers burst through the front door, she heard her parents’ screams of terror. The night before, her father had forgotten to lock the basement door, and she had trusted her gut and not corrected him.

Racing up the stairs, she burst through the door and saw her father armed with a shotgun. Her mother glared at her and motioned her back downstairs. Her heart ached, knowing that her parents were prepared to defend her with their lives. She dashed forward, putting herself between her parents and the soldiers.

“Lower your weapon,” a soldier commanded to her father.

Claudia could tell the soldiers were on edge, uncertain of her abilities and what she might do. Finally, a soldier panicked and tried to shoot. Soon, most of the soldiers were trying to shoot, and terror spread through the troop as each realized the weapons were jammed.

“I surrender! I surrender as long as my parents are left here unharmed. I’ll go with you peacefully as long as they aren’t arrested.”

The lead officer, looking shaken, said, “Fine. Turn around and put your hands behind your back.”

After being handcuffed, she left the beach house and blinked at the powerful late summer sun. She struggled to see the nosy neighbors staring from the surrounding lawns. Which one had turned her in? She was then plunged, once again, into darkness, a bag blocking out and muffling the world. In a sense, she was glad for it. She wasn’t ready for the sun or the agony of her parents’ shrieks.

The ride took days or maybe hours. She slept as the van drove her to the nearest dome. Soon enough, she’d learn that these places were called Midnight Cities, named both for the way the domes shut out daylight and as a play off the Doomsday Clock. Most suspected that the Midnight Cities would be obliterated once the roundups were complete.

The soldiers shoved her out of the van and onto the pavement. The bag was ripped off, the handcuffs were removed, and the van took off. Sitting on the ground, she marveled at the vast neon city, built and maintained by her captured people. Nearby Unknowns gathered with sad smiles, ready to welcome her as one of their own.


	2. Midnight City

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains some sexuality, death, and gun violence.

Claudia noticed his gaze from across the casino. She brushed her long hair out of her face and tried not to make it obvious that she was watching him too. The blue neon lights cast a mysterious glow, making everyone look like a movie star.

She leaned down and whispered to her friend, Brenner. “Who’s that guy who keeps watching me?”

“Which one?” Brenner smirked.

She was about the protest, but given that her attention had been focused entirely on one person, she couldn’t rule out the possibility of others looking her way.

“The black guy over there. The one with the afro and leather jacket.”

“I know him.”

“You know everyone.”

“His name’s Klaus. He’s bisexual too if that’s what you’re wondering. You should probably go introduce yourself instead of staring.”

“You sure you don’t need me to win this round?”

Brenner winked and flashed their cards. “Already did.”

Brenner eyed the package of marshmallows in the center of the table. Money held no value in a city where one person could create objects from memory and another could multiply items at will. In this sort of world, gambling was purely for sport and socialization.

Leaning against the mirrored wall, Klaus kept his gaze focused on his untouched drink as the woman approached. Despite his dark sunglasses, he must have glanced in her direction one too many times, and she’d finally caught on.

“Any luck tonight?” She asked.

“No. I don’t gamble.” He tried to breathe through his nerves, but the pain at losing Cameron was still too fresh. He’d never been good with breakups, and his confidence was at an all-time low.

“I don’t gamble either. I can’t. My power is that I create luck.”

“Is that even allowed in here?”

She laughed and the sound made his heart thump. “Probably not. I’m Claudia.”

“Klaus.”

“So what’s your power?” In a climate controlled dome, the question had become a substitute for asking about the weather.

He grinned and lifted his sunglasses up. Instead of eyes, she saw two beams of warm, pure light.

Together, they left the sapphire glow and emerged into the kaleidoscopic fluorescence of the Midnight City. Klaus offered her a ride in his 1960s Cadillac (everyone had one as they’d been multiplied into the thousands), and for the entire ride, she stared as his silhouette, his glistening skin shining against the city glow.

They’d began kissing in the parking garage, and when they broke away, she held his face and stared into his radiant eyes.

When he told her he’d needed to find a new apartment after breaking up with his ex and all their mutual friends, she’d imagined he’d take her somewhere small and cramped. She would have been fine with that if it meant spending the night with him. They rode to the top of the elevator and climbed another few flights of stairs before entering a room at the top of a skyscraper. 

Claudia felt her heart pound as she surveyed the spectacular view of the city below. Sitting on his mattress pulled beside the window, they watched the city lights in each other’s arms before undressing and making love in the neon glow.

When they were both satisfied, Klaus held her to his chest and stroked his fingers through her long straight hair. She smelled of strawberry shampoo.

“I’m not ready for a relationship or anything serious. I hope that’s okay,” he stammered.

“That’s fine. I don’t mind if this is a one-time thing. But I’d still like to see you again.”

“I’d like that too.”

***

In the Midnight City, Cadillacs ran on air, so driving aimlessly and drinking in the city lights was a common pastime. Claudia worked with the Escapists, a group dedicated to helping vulnerable members of the LGBTQ+ community escape the city into underground networks. Her luck made her essential, but the stress of the position weighed upon her, so spending her time off talking to Klaus and enjoying the night breeze kept her strong.

“Would you ever want to join us?” Claudia asked.

Klaus hesitated. “I feel like it’s important I stay here, use my light to recharge the city. Not everyone can get out, and the people here need me.

“You do so much. If you ever want to get out of here, I’m sure we could place you with a resistance group.”

“I’d like that. Maybe someday. Only if you’d come with me.”

“Maybe someday.”

Her smile made his heart ache.

***

“Stay with me,” he said, running his hand through her hair. She leaned on the railing of the skyscraper and her tears fell away into oblivion.

“I can’t. You know that. The Escapists need me.”

“Then cool it for now. I know helping with the escapes is your life and all, but maybe you need to take a break until you get your health back under control. I’m worried about you. These fainting spells… you gotta take care of yourself.”

“That’s not true.” She said, wiping her nose. “When you said, escapes are my life. You’re my life too. These two years have been the best I’ve ever had. I don’t want to lose you. I’ll cut back.” 

But in the back of her mind, she imagined the warmth of the Nevada sun, the dry and dusty air beyond the Midnight City, and she knew, despite the escalating danger, that she would continue orchestrating escapes. 

Without her, people would continue to escape. Without her, they wouldn’t have much luck.

***

She awoke to the swaying of a jostling truck, a hand strangling hers, and a stifling yet eerily familiar sensation. She remembered her fainting spells and realized she must have been coming to, but then it all flooded back.

Her cheek throbbed from the soldier grinding her face into the desert; her arms were still sticky with the blood that had splattered when they’d shot Margot point blank. Her entire body shivered as she remembered how the soldier had held the gun against her head and pulled the trigger. If it hadn’t jammed, she would be dead.

Within the perimeter of the Midnight City, she was thrown out of the truck and her body slammed into the pavement. The bag was lifted from her head, and she stared into Brenner’s eyes. Within, she saw pure terror. Looking around, she was stricken. It wasn’t their Midnight City.


	3. Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Contains discussion of nuclear annihilation. All prior warnings still apply.

It was four years after the nuclear annihilation of the majority of the Midnight Cities and seven years in total since she’d seen Klaus. She’d just gotten a haircut and was enjoying a stroll down the boardwalk when she spotted a familiar silhouette outlined against the bay. She knew it was him: every detail of him had been engraved on her soul. But still she hesitated. She’d had false alarms: glimpses out of the corner of her eye that turned out to be strangers when she looked head on. His leather jacket was different—newer—and something about his posture was different, but that was to be expected. Surviving this long had changed her too.

“Hey,” she called to him. She knew enough not to use names in public.

He turned and, after a moment of dawning realization, ran to embrace her. He swept her off the ground and twirled her as she giggled. “I’ve thought about you every single day,” he whispered in her ear. “I knew you were alive.”

She held his face in her hands, and they cried and held each other close. After spending some time in each other’s arms, watching the harbor, Claudia said, “I’m free today and tomorrow. Brenner’s watching my daughter overnight as a favor. I’d really love if you’d spend the day with me.”

Klaus felt something catch in his throat. He knew in that instant but said nothing. “I’d love that.” Her smile, so full of promise and affection, made him cry a second time.

***

Back in his motel room, they discussed their past together and made love and cuddled. Neither could broach the topic of their seven years apart.

As Claudia stared into the warmth of his eyes, Klaus considered how quickly his future plans were vanishing. Other countries had spoken out against America obliterating its own citizens, and Klaus knew of a few places that might accept his bid for asylum. He’d planned to traverse hostile terrain alone, but now that Claudia and a child had entered the picture, he knew he’d stay even if it meant sacrificing the chance for safety.

Klaus stroked her hair as she snuggled against his chest. At the risk of his own life, he would protect her and her daughter (their daughter? The possibility lurked under all the things left unsaid). Was this a byproduct of her luckiness? Did he feel indebted to her after all she’d sacrificed orchestrate the escapes of some of their most vulnerable people? No. His love for her was deeper than all those things. He loved her because she made him feel alive.

***

After getting off a nauseating, spinning ride, Claudia stumbled over to the edge of the boardwalk and held her head over the side.

Klaus pulled her hair out of her face and rubbed her back.

“False alarm,” she replied. She continued to hang her head over the side and stare out into the sea.

“You look sad,” he observed.

Dropping her voice low, she said, “I’ve never been able to take Stevie here. I don’t want to deprive her, but I know with all these lights and carnival songs, she’d never be able to contain herself. She’d be exposed as an Unknown. A little girl shouldn’t have to suppress her talents or be ashamed of them. When I hold her back, I feel like I’m doing exactly what the state wants me to be doing—eradicating aberration.” The lights of the carnival danced across her tearstained face.

Klaus held Claudia as she wept. Stevie. What an adorable name. He wanted to assure her that he’d always be there for them. He bought her caramel corn, which brought that gorgeous smile back to her face. She squeezed his hand on the roller coaster, and they kissed at the top of the Ferris wheel.

Claudia struggled to believe all this was happening and that she could actually be this lucky. It all seemed impermanent and unreal. But with one look at Klaus’s face, with the feel of his lips against hers, her pounding heart brought her right back into the moment.

***

Klaus parked his car beneath a secluded part of the peer and made love to Claudia in his backseat. Her face glowed, reflecting the warm luminescence of his eyes. When she kissed him, he felt her affection deep in his bones. Was it possible to love someone so soon? Had he ever really stopped loving her?

After putting his pants back on and letting Claudia wear his leather jacket, he spooned her, wrapping his arms around her. Was this worth getting sidetracked from his plans, his nebulous plans that eventually brought him somewhere safe (if such a place existed)?

Claudia wiggled around so they could face each other. “Will you stay for—?”

“Forever?”

“I was going to ask if you would stay for a few more weeks, but…” 

They both laughed.

Klaus considered what he’d lose in staying or in going, and then said, “I think if I left you I’d regret it for the rest of my life. I don’t want to scare you and tell you I still love you but.”

Claudia grinned. “I still love you.”

“I think I’ll love you forever.”

“Forever is a lot to ask.”

“Yeah, well, I’m one of the Immortal Unknowns.”

“The what?” The confusion on Claudia’s face startled him.

“You’re telling me you’ve never heard the term Immortal Unknowns? It refers to Unknowns who can’t be killed through violence. We age, so someday we’ll die, but we can’t die young.”

Claudia considered for a moment and said, “I suppose I’d fit into that category by your definition. I’m too lucky to die.”

“I take it you weren’t in one of the Midnight Cities where a bomb fell.”

She gave him a look. “Of course not. I’m still alive.”

“Yeah, well, I’m still alive too. And I was there.”


	4. Where the Boats Go

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter discusses nuclear annihilation and mental illness. All prior warnings still apply.

Claudia stared out across the bay, contemplating his words. “You were there.”

Klaus focused his attention on a faraway ship that began to fade into the dusk on the horizon. “It was a normal day, but I don’t remember it that way. Things became significance after the fact. I remember seeing a lot of kids, a lot of families. I think about all those escape groups that got parents and kids out of the city. Maybe I could have done more.” He realized he was holding Claudia’s hand so tightly that it might have been painful and released his grip a bit. “We never really understood the point of a domed city. We figured it was to block escape attempts. I guess that’s true. But it was mainly so we wouldn’t know the day or the hour. We wouldn’t see death coming from above.

“I was walking down a busy sidewalk, and then I was everywhere. It hurt infinitely. I felt omniscient: I saw distant stars, and countries and people. I think I saw you, only a glimpse but it gave me comfort to know you were still alive. My body had evaporated but my luminescence remained. It still haunts me—the idea that I’m more light than man. My light slowly came back together, drifted back to the same place, and I was reborn in the sea. I wish I could explain all this in a way you could understand, but I barely understand.”

Claudia kissed his face and held him close while he wept.

“I haven’t been the same. I used to think my powers were infinite, limitless, but now I bleed if I over-exert myself. I can’t handle loud noises anymore. Fireworks, gunshots, certain noises send me back. I freak out. My eyes shine so brightly the sunglasses can’t block it. You have to understand—I’m not safe to be around. I’d be putting you in danger if I stay.”

With that, she clutched his face and stared deep into the light that was his soul. “Klaus. I’ll do whatever I can to protect you. But please, don’t leave thinking we’ll be safer without you. I need you.”


	5. Wait

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains mentions of post-traumatic stress disorder. All prior warnings still apply.

“What does your daughter look like?”

They lay on opposite sides of the hotel room bed. Claudia shifted onto her back, staring up at the ceiling.

“Don’t make me answer that.” After a period of silence, she continued, “I just want to spend some time you and me. I don’t want to ruin today.”

“You’re not ruining it. Today’s been perfect. But I kind of need to know this.” He didn’t want to hurt or pressure her, but his anxiety had begun clawing at him on the drive home. In response to her silence, he reconsidered his approach and instead asked, “Why did you name her Stevie?”

Another pause. Then, she launched in: “His name was Steve McQueen, like the actor. He delivered my baby with no assistance in this commune in the middle of nowhere. One of our underground networks stationed me there after I’d fled the other Midnight City. I was astounded. Her birth was completely under the radar. As far as the government goes, she doesn’t exist. I was so grateful that I named her after him as a tribute. He was killed in one of the nuclear blasts, so I’m glad I was able to honor his legacy.”

“That’s beautiful. I’m really glad you did that. It’s important that even when we’re divided that we can honor our people and maintain connections.”

“Thank you. I put a lot of thought into her name.”

“Does she have a middle name?”

Claudia hesitated, her eyes studying patterns in the water marks. “Yes. She’s named for her father.”

“Stevie Klaus.”

Klaus went to her and held her while she wept. “Hey. Don’t. What matters is we’re together now.”

“I tried… so hard to find you. I’m so sorry.”

His hatred and rage toward the government, toward the system that worked so hard to annihilate him and his family, bubbled like venom in his throat. They’d burned away his body, scattered him to distant reaches, yet disintegration ached less than the knowledge he’d missed the birth of his child and her youngest years. The only comfort was that they were finally together. He would never let them go.

***

The endless staircases leading to Claudia’s apartment made Klaus slightly nostalgic for the Midnight City—a rare sensation as memories from the Midnight City typically felt like pain. By the time he saw the apartment door, his pulse was pounding. A tear slid down his cheek, but he wiped it away. He didn’t want Stevie to pick up how bittersweet it all was.

The first thing he saw was the refrigerator door plastered with crayon drawings, scenes of famous sites from across the world: the Eifel Tower, the Great Wall of China, and the Egyptian pyramids.

He greeted Brenner with a polite handshake, as they’d never really known each other well, and left them alone with Claudia to talk, while he headed across the living room toward a purple door covered with even more crayon drawings. He knocked, and when a tiny voice told him to come in, he pushed it open.

The sight of her pierced through his heart.

Her tight black curls.

Her mother’s nose.

Her father’s chin.

Her vibrant smile.

Her big brown eyes.

“Daddy.” Her voice was filled with awe, as if her birthday had come six months early, as if her most brilliant dream had somehow come true. He supposed it had.

He dropped to his knees, barely able to stand, and wrapped his arms around his beautiful little girl.

While Claudia made mac and cheese with vegetables, he listened to Stevie babble on about the names of each of her dolls, and he practiced mnemonics in his head, so he’d remember each and every one.

At dinner, she told him all about her studies. Claudia was teaching her history and geography and science, and Brenner was teaching her dozens of languages as they knew every language in the world. Every now and then he caught Claudia smiling at him, and he knew that this was the happiest day of his life so far.

After dinner, Stevie snuggled up to Klaus and asked him to read her all her favorite books. Every time Claudia peeked her head in from the kitchen, he shot her his glowing smile. He’d never stopped loving her. And he was determined to give this little girl all the love she’d missed and more.

It wasn’t exactly that Klaus had let his guard down, but when the fireworks began, something inside him snapped just a bit. The tears he’d worked so hard to brush away now flowed freely, and the uncomfortable anxiety tickling his skin became like the nuclear burning. He realized he was losing control; the light from his eyes pierced through his sunglasses.

By the time that Claudia checked on them, the light from his eyes was illuminating the entire room. Stevie embraced him and stared in awe at his power. Concerned that the light might grow strong enough to pierce the room’s thick curtains, Claudia struggled to think of a solution. Then, she shouted: “Blankets! Can you make some really think blankets, thick but not too stuffy, airy ones?”

Stevie nodded. She loved the challenge of turning precise language and directions into something real. Without breaking the hug, she stared at the floor, and dozens of blankets appeared.

Claudia laughed with delight and began throwing the blankets over Stevie and Klaus. Soon their shapes became indiscernible under the blanket mountain, and Stevie’s giggles drowned out the sound of Klaus’s tears.

“More blankets, Mommy!”

“No way, kiddo. You two will suffocate in there!” Claudia laughed as more and more blankets appeared in the air and floated haphazardly to the floor. “Be careful. You know things get a bit strange when you make things appear that you can’t see.”

Stevie giggled, and Claudia dove under the blankets. She found Klaus breathing deeply, sweat beading his face underneath all the layers of cloth. Stevie squeezed him tightly, and Claudia embraced them both, her heart bursting with love. In time his crying stopped and the light subsided. Klaus took gulps of air and felt his skin tingling. Claudia stood, and as the blankets tumbled to the floor, they disappeared.

“I’m… so sorry.”

“Klaus.” She held his cheek in her hand, and he kissed it. “Never be sorry. We’re family. We will always be there to take care of you, and we know you’ll always be there to take care of us.”

Klaus nodded and tried very hard not to start crying again at her words. For the first time since the annihilation, he considered that maybe things could be okay.


	6. Raconte-Moi Une Histoire

The next morning, Claudia called out from work and went downstairs to tell Xia, her elderly neighbor, that her childcare services wouldn’t be needed as often now that Klaus was back. Upon returning to the apartment, she sat in the middle of the living room carpet and watched Klaus and Stevie play dolls for a few minutes before she said, “Come on over. Stevie, you should show Dad your powers.”

Once they were sitting in a circle, Stevie began, “I heard about this frog. It’s a very tiny frog. But it’s also very special.”

Klaus gasped as a little frog appeared from thin air and began leaping up and down Stevie’s arm.

“You can only find it in the jungle so far away from here.” In a blink, the light blue walls of the apartment disappeared, replaced by a rainforest. The effect was disorienting, but Klaus was distracted by the little frog, which was now hopping back and forth between him and Claudia.

“If you touch it, you can feel your body change and your vision also. Blue becomes red and red becomes blue.” Colors shifted as Stevie spoke the words. 

“And your mommy suddenly becomes your daddy.” 

Klaus laughed, but his laugh wasn’t his own. He looked down at his hands, but they weren’t his hands, but Claudia’s slender hands. When he looked to Claudia, he found himself.

“And everything looks like a giant cupcake.”

The trees were replaced by pastries, but Klaus could barely see them through the tears of laughter streaming down his face.

“And after you’ve finished laughing…” Stevie waited for her parents to regain composure. “You’re ready to turn into a frog yourself.” 

The room towered above them. Klaus, now a tiny green frog, hopped forward and bopped right into Claudia, a red frog. They both burst out laughing, which sounded more like grunting ribbits. Stevie became a blue frog, and they hopped around the room in joyous circles.

Suddenly, the room reverted back. Stevie looked up at Klaus, her brown eyes glowing. “What do you think, Dad?”

Klaus smiled, staring down at his own large hands. “I think I’m the luckiest father in the world.” She babbled on about how wonderful it was to be a frog with a frog dad as he held her close. He’d never known such hope and love and joy as this, surrounded by his loving family. It reminded him of being young, of the unconditional love he’d received from his own parents. Remembering them brought a sudden sadness: had it not been for their fatal car accident, they might have lived to see Stevie. But Stevie’s energy brought him back to the present. She was so creative and inventive and positive. She believed in a world of infinite possibility despite being trapped within a small apartment.

While Claudia continued her job, something so secretive she was barred from telling anyone what it was, Klaus stayed home and bonded with his daughter. He’d never imagined himself to be a stay at home father—or, before a few days ago, even a father—but he relished every moment. They would read from her Geography books and science books and storybooks, and when she was inspired, she would create magical, all-encompassing fantasies of play.

One day, the room became Mount Everest with swirling snow. The next, they visited Winnie the Pooh and all his friends. They became scuba divers and unicorns, master chefs and vegetarian tigers. After days and weeks of fantasy-scapes, Klaus contemplated how it was both a beautiful way to live and yet, ultimately, a tragic one.

After dinner, Klaus would leave the apartment for a walk to give Claudia and Stevie some time alone to bond. He’d contemplate their options and the future while staring off into the sea. Soon enough, he was meeting with old friends and discussing his options more seriously.

One night, while Xia babysat, Klaus and Claudia took a stroll down the pier. “I’ve been talking to an old friend,” Klaus explained. “We bumped into each other recently, and sometimes he joins me on my walks. Do you know him, Carl Smith?” She didn’t, so he continued. “Karl says he can get us train tickets out of here and a fake I.D. for Stevie. It’s risky but…” He could see the hesitance in her eyes but continued. “Stevie deserves better than this. She shouldn’t have to settle for creating the world. She should be allowed to see it.”

Claudia stared out into the dark waters for a long time. After what seemed like twenty minutes but was probably much less, she said, “Tell your friend we’re interested.”

In the morning, Stevie made Klaus describe his favorite place in the world, so he described the Massachusetts community where he’d been raised. He described the salty air and the way his house was a five minute walk from the bay. Although the beach she created wasn’t an exact replica, he marveled at the warmth of the sun and the exquisite feeling of the sand beneath his feet. He taught her the backstroke in the calm bay waters, and once they were tired, they made a three story sand castle. 

That evening, he procured three train tickets to Mexico. Mexico was less openly hostile toward Unknowns, and from there, they could connect with local Unknown groups and seek asylum from one of the small but slowly growing list of countries that openly welcomed Unknowns.

The next evening, Stevie looked forlornly at all the books she hadn’t had room to pack in her overflowing backpack. Claudia had been kind enough to pack all of Stevie’s clothes in her own pack, so Stevie could have more room to jam hers full of dolls and stories and toys. The rest would be left behind for Xia to donate.

“Don’t worry,” Claudia reassured her. “Everything you leave behind will go to a good home.”

Stevie grinned and nodded, feeling charitable. Claudia took one last look around the apartment where she’d raised her child, nodded, and shut the lights.


	7. Train to Pluton

As the train pulled out of the station, Stevie pressed her face up against the window. From their private train compartment, she took in the full view of the city she was rarely allowed to venture into, a forbidden land they would soon leave behind. She’d often seen the city from the roof, which she could access only with a trusted adult and only when no other neighbors were afoot. But here at ground level, the city was teeming with life and people and adorable puppies.

But once they were out of the city, she began to grow restless. She wanted to create. With a knowing nod, Claudia pulled down the shade.

The room became a circus, and they became clowns surrounded by balloon animals and bright lights. Stevie twirled in circles, her hands directing the kaleidoscope of light. Claudia hung by her legs from the trapeze, gripping Klaus tightly as they swung through the air. She gazed into the warm glow of his loving eyes.

Then, they were back on the ground again, surrounded by dozens of balloon animals. Balloon dogs chased each other and their tails. A balloon lion bounded toward Stevie; she leapt upon its back, and together they danced and leapt into the air.

There was a slight tapping at the door. The compartment snapped back to normal with the exception of a single blue balloon floating in the air. Claudia raised an eyebrow, and Stevie giggled at her as the uniformed man scrutinized their tickets. The moment the door shut behind him all three of them breathed a sigh of relief.


	8. Claudia Lewis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All prior warnings still apply.

As night began to fall aboard the train, Stevie cuddled in between her parents. “Please, tell me a story,” she begged.

Claudia thought for a moment. “Why don’t you help me tell the story of what life was like in the other Midnight City?”

“I’d love that,” Klaus said.

“Okay, so disclaimer first. You have to understand that I didn’t know I was pregnant. I was so stressed, and I had no clue the fainting spells were a pregnancy symptom. In hindsight, I realize I ignored a lot of signs. I had given up drinking; I told myself that it was because I was afraid it would make the fainting spells worse. My periods were so light they were almost non-existent, but I blamed that on stress. Because I didn’t realize the very obvious truth, I was way too busy and probably put myself in way too much danger, but I guess it worked out in the end.”

Klaus squeezed her hand.

"Some said the city was inescapable.” An image of a glowing city appeared on the window, a movie projected from Stevie’s mind. “For the first couple weeks, Brenner and I were pretty convinced that was true. Still, we knew that creating a network to provide for vulnerable LGBT+ teens was valuable work even if we were stuck in the city. So that was how I spent my day to day. In my free time, I tried to contact you.”

“I’m surprised I never received a message. Given how lucky you are.”

“My powers lose strength at a distance. I sent pigeons and drones out of the supposedly impenetrable city, and they’d make it farther than anyone else’s messages would. But then…”

Stevie’s image showed a drone shot down by a government missile and a falcon swooping in to devour the poor pigeon messenger. The image thankfully cut away before the tragic carnage.

“I even tried a psychic. We tried to contact you, but typically you’re not supposed to contact non-psychics… It sort of… goes wrong…. I’m sorry, Klaus.”

“Oh…”

“What? What?” Stevie pressed for an answer.

Klaus laughed. “In hindsight, it’s kind of funny. I did get that message. I got it while I was driving. I crashed my car into a hydrant.”

The image Stevie created of a car careening around wildly before landing on top of a fire hydrant was both a wild exaggeration and a pretty accurate summation of Klaus’s terror at the time.

“I forgive you though. I’d give anything for that message to have gone through.” He hated seeing the sadness in Claudia’s eyes.

“I stopped trying to contact you after that. Less because I didn’t want to and more because things got busy. We’d told the teens all about our illustrious escape career, and soon this young couple approached us with a plan. These two girls were inseparable, and although they were friendly with everyone, they were secretive, especially about their powers. When they were finally ready to share their secret, it changed everything.”

In Stevie’s image, the two Latina teens stood in an empty gymnasium. They took a long look at each other and began a simultaneous transformation into two, giant moles.

“Looks like we aren’t the only two Unknowns who were meant for each other,” Klaus noted. Claudia’s smile lit up the room.

“We had a teen who could create small, silent explosions.”

The gym floor erupted, and when the smoke cleared, three telekinetic teens cleared away the concreate foundation, exposing the rock and earth underneath.

“Using the abandoned building to shield ourselves from detection, the two mole girls transformed and tunneled a massive hole. Within a few days, they’d created a passage beneath and far outside of the city.”

Claudia rode upon the back of one mole channeling her luck into the endeavor while Brenner rode upon the other, directing their progress with a map of the underground and translating the moles’ squeaks back into English.

The scene changed and a massive group of teens emerged from the tunnel into the desert sun, greeted by extended family members and locals from underground networks, ready to give the kids a chance at freedom.

“We relocated over a thousand teens out of the city using the tunnel before a sewage worker broke through the wall and discovered our scheme. We were very fortunate though. The military never identified anyone involved with our operation. After that, we had to lay low for a while. The military was on high alert. Brenner and I didn’t have much to do since all of the kids we’d been helping were long gone. We figured we’d join up with another rescue network, but that’s when my pregnancy started showing.”

“Me!”

“Yes, you! You were ready to enter the world!” Claudia hugged her daughter and continued. “We had to devise one last escape. We found our opportunity when someone launched a rocket into the ceiling of the dome. It created this extraordinarily large hole. I’d been in contact with another escape group, one that specialized in helping pregnant folks escape the city, and they directed me to a woman who could turn into a pterodactyl.”

The image showed Claudia hugging and saying goodbye to Brenner, who would stay behind to continue facilitating escapes. Once she was ready, she fastened herself in to a seat strapped on the back of a pterodactyl. Then the pterodactyl took off with Claudia clinging on for dear life. After escaping through the hole, Claudia laughed and whooped for joy. They swooped and soared and dived through the air, evading the drones pursuing them. With some artful aerial maneuvers, the three drones crashed together and plummeted to the ground.

“We flew through the night and into the next day. We flew into the middle of nowhere, into a commune where we could be safe from the world. At least for a while.”

Stevie yawned and the image disappeared. Imagining the bedtime story had exhausted her, and she was finally ready for bed.


	9. This Bright Flash

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains danger and some gore. All prior warnings apply.

“Why isn’t the train moving yet?” Claudia asked, a frantic edge in her voice.

The question went unanswered. Because she knew the answer and Klaus knew the answer, but telling Stevie would shatter some essential part of her innocence—her belief that her parents always made the best decisions regarding her safety or her belief that despite their oppression the world was fundamentally good. She already looked so miserable. To distract her from the training stopping, they’d asked her to read some of her books aloud. It worked for a little over an hour, but then she’d gotten so inspired by Clifford that she created a little yelping red puppy in their compartment. She’d ignored Claudia’s gentle instruction to disband the image, so Klaus had snapped at her. He hadn’t meant to. It was his first time raising his voice to his daughter—she was a good kid and hadn’t needed reprimand before that point.

Without Stevie’s exuberance, the compartment was claustrophobic, and Klaus, tapping his foot against the floor, almost wished it would just happen already. He’d peaked beneath the shade and saw the military officers gathering in the center of the tiny desert town. He tried not to let Claudia see his reaction, but he hadn’t hidden his emotions well enough, and now her face reflected his dread.

Claudia reflected on how the worst moments of her life so far tended to turn out for the best. Had she not been arrested, she would not have met Klaus. Had she not gone on the fateful mission that left her stranded in the other Midnight City, she would have raised Stevie in the first Midnight City and lost her when the bomb dropped. These thoughts were the only thing that kept her panic from overrunning her senses as she struggled to come up with a plan.

Klaus, on the other hand, had a couple ideas. Regardless of how foolish the plan was, they would be able to pull it off thanks to Claudia’s luck. True, her powers were uncontrollable and ruthless—they’d be separated or killed if that was the only way to keep Stevie alive—but he needed to believe that other, better outcomes were possible in this scenario.

Claudia’s heart nearly stopped when she heard the tramp of heavy boots approaching their compartment.

Klaus removed his sunglasses and tucked them into the inner pocket of his leather jacket. The idea he had landed on was dangerous, but it guaranteed the safety and lives of his wife and daughter. He would have to hope it would guarantee his life as well.

“Follow my lead.”

He wrenched open the door and a flash of shattering luminescence temporarily blinded the guards. Light emitting from his eyes and mouth flooded the hallway. Klaus shoved aside the confused soldiers, and Claudia dashed after with Stevie on her shoulders. Through the emergency exit, they entered into the oppressive dry heat of the desert town. Although Claudia could see through Klaus’s light just fine, she noted how onlookers and soldiers were forced to cover their faces from the burning glow.

“There!” Claudia pointed ahead to a rusty old pickup truck. Claudia said a quick prayer as she opened the driver’s side door and felt a spark of hope when she found the keys had been left in the ignition. With Stevie and Klaus in the backseat, she tore down Main Street, dodging each bullet fired in their direction.

As they sped off into the desert, Claudia suddenly remembered. “I know this place! My parents used to have a house out this way. It’s a two hour drive. I bet we can stay there. If we’re lucky, maybe they’ll be there!”

Klaus struggled to catch his breath. Good. They were going to stay with family. This is for the best. He had to believe that.

He turned around in his seat, ignoring Stevie’s admonishment to wear his seatbelt. The truck was missing its back windshield—another stroke of luck—so he stuck his hands out and with his fingertips created a massive wall of light, stretching for miles in either direction. After holding the wall for about fifteen minutes, he took a deep breath and sent the beam flying across the desert, so if the soldiers were following the beam, they would be sent in a completely wrong direction.

“Klaus, you’re absolutely brilliant,” Claudia said. “You’ve saved us all. We owe you our lives.”

As Klaus turned back around in his seat, he found himself amazed by what he had just accomplished. His fingers and eyes ached, and he balled his fists and looked out the window, so Stevie wouldn’t see the blood trickling down his cheeks and pooling at his fingertips. After the obliteration of his first form, something terrible had gone wrong with this body—it hadn’t come together right. Klaus coughed into his hands and felt dizzy at the sight of blood.

No. He was a being of light. His powers were limitless. He’d performed feats much more impressive than this, this, this, this, this, oh God no, this, this, this, this, this,

Claudia felt a chill run through the entire length of her body at the sound of her daughter’s scream.

“Dad! Dad no, please!”

The seizures wracked his body. His light tore at his skin, burning his hands and face. Stevie bawled and screamed as Claudia tore down the empty desert highway.

“You’ll be okay. Hang on, Klaus. I love you. Hang on. Hang on.”


	10. When Will You Come Home?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All prior warnings apply.

Claudia had memorized the routes to each of her parents’ safe houses, suspecting that someday an emergency would require them to follow one of these paths to safety. Her mind was gripped in a feverish, nauseous terror, and she concentrated only on keeping the truck blazing down the deserted highway.

Klaus’s seizures had diminished, but the skin around his eyes and hands still seemed to be burning away. It didn’t hurt anymore; he seemed hardly aware of it. A deep sadness enveloped him because he knew that when this body faded, he would be separated from his family again, which was almost as bad as being dead.

Stevie nuzzled her head against her father. Her tears had stopped, but she felt her parents’ emotions deeply. She sat up in her seat when they approached a farmhouse, the only building they’d seen in miles.

Claudia parked out front, and when she got out of the car, her knees gave and she collapsed on the dusty ground. Even though she’d never met them, Stevie instantly knew the people who came rushing out of the house. After giving her dad’s hand one last squeeze, she opened the door and hopped down. She raced into her grandpa’s arms and hugged him tight.

Grandma Eri helped her daughter off the ground. She squeezed her daughter tight, but her face fell when she saw Klaus’s condition. Pulling back, she asked, “What can we do for him?”

“He won’t die.” She had to believe that. “But I’m not sure there’s much we can do.”


	11. Soon, My Friend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Halfway through! Warning that this chapter is pretty heavy. All prior warnings apply 100% here.

Klaus had gotten panicky within the confined space of the house, so Claudia sat with him in the backyard. He reclined in a poolside lounge chair. To have such a chair without a pool seemed fortuitous, but she knew better. Somehow her powers were strong enough to give him comfort but not so strong that she could save him from destruction. She hated herself for it. Claudia pulled a chair next to Klaus and spoke to him whenever she could find the words. Mostly they stayed silent. Sometimes he wanted to hold her hand; his grip was so tight that her hand would sting for weeks although she would hardly notice it.

At this point, Klaus felt no pain except for an unnatural sense of unbinding, dislocating. Physically, he felt tingling, numbness, a sense of detachment. The cool night breeze, Claudia’s pulse, and the stars provided something like comfort.

Tomorrow night, Stevie and Claudia would come outside to observe the stars and distant galaxies. Tonight, Stevie was kept inside, kept entertained by her grandparents and away from the windows.

“Don’t cry,” Klaus croaked out. He willed himself to stay together, to remain.

“You’re really immortal, right? You’ll be back. Somehow… In some form.”

His grip tightened. “I’ll be yours. Someday.”

His head snapped back, and light burst through his throat. His face registered shock and then stillness. He imagined her face within the glow, her smile, although he knew if he turned to face her she would reflect utter despair. He needed her to know that he would be hers. He would always be hers. Not physically, not yet, but someday.

The glowing light overwhelmed his face and exploded out into the upper atmosphere and beyond. Claudia yelped as beams burst forth in all directions. A gash slid down his chest, and light from the wound burst forth across the horizon. The luminescence circled and danced in the sky. His grip on her hand became a vice, then went slack as the skin of his hand evaporated.

The rest of his body disintegrated; his skin transformed into scattering fireflies, drifting up into the sky, and away from here, away from her.

When his light had vanished completely, the desert became a void as her eyes had not yet adjusted. She stood, but her legs wobbled, and she fell hard on her knees. Her right knee caught upon a jagged stone and tore open. She screamed until her throat ached, until she was forced to stop and cough up blood.

She’d believed her luck could protect her family, but that belief had been obliterated and scattered to the farthest reaches of the universe. She had escaped the destruction of the Midnight City, yet her government had still found a way to obliterate her family. By making their existence illegal, they’d stolen time and community and memories. Even without bombs, the genocide slowly progressed. The only thing that would keep her alive was the knowledge that in her death she would be complicit in the government’s slow mass killing of her people. That and Stevie were worth living for.


	12. My Tears Are Becoming a Sea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter discusses mental illness.

Klaus could never quite describe the experience of being in all places and seeing all things and being in as many directions and distances as light could travel. He could never quite describe the void of space or the sight of distant planets and stars. At times, he would try to recall these memories, but remembering himself so far away from the safety and confines of his body would make his throat tighten and remembering himself so far away from the love and comfort of his family made his skin crawl. He would respect his body and mind enough to let some things stay in the past.

Even though he was returning to earth at unimaginable speeds, travel felt more like a slow drift because of the emptiness of it all. He saw wonders: stars not yet seen by sentient eyes, planets newly formed and soon to be destroyed by hurtling asteroids, visions rare and powerful. But nothing drove him more than the desire to return.

It would take five months.

Claudia and Stevie had remained at the desert house. Staying with family had seemed essential, and given that Claudia struggled to get out of bed some mornings, she relied on the unconditional love and support of her parents. Somedays, she wouldn’t be able to get up at all. Stevie would cuddle with her under the covers, and she’d teach her daughter lessons from there. Claudia hated herself for not being more, not doing more, but her parents insisted that her drive to continue teaching Stevie, despite a severe relapse of depression, showed admirable strength. Claudia would never be able to believe it, but she appreciated the sentiment.

Stevie had been outside catching fireflies when the sky lit up. Her mouth fell open as the sky filled with a warm and infinite glow. The little warm orbs of light slowly trickled down to earth.

Claudia burst out the front door. She’d managed to get herself up to load the dishwasher, and her hands were still wet. Her legs wobbled, and she sat hard on the porch steps. The orbs wrapped around her, and the warmth dried her tears.

Stevie freed the fireflies from her jars, and the orbs soared inside in their place. Grandma and Grandpa, watching from the door, realized what was happening and retrieved three large coolers from the basement. They took off the lids, and orbs piled inside. Claudia raced in the house and brought out the rest of Stevie’s mason jars. They’d planned to make them into dioramas, but Claudia had never gained the strength to start the project, and now she understood the real reason why she’d insisted upon collecting them. The rest of the orbs fit gently within the jars. As Claudia pressed her hand against the side of the largest jar, a glowing hand formed and pressed against the other side. She choked back tears as she hugged the glass.

The moment was tainted only by the knowledge that even though Klaus had returned, he hadn’t returned corporeally. There was still work to do, and Claudia had absolutely no clue how they’d go about doing it. But luck and love would be on their side. They would think of something. They had to.


	13. New Map

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Contains discussion of depression

Once Stevie had finally fallen asleep after all the celebration and excitement wound down, Claudia went to her room and cried. The happiness and wonder at Klaus’s return had been displaced by uncertainty and fear. Any hope that Klaus would return to them whole was gone. He lacked his body, and she lacked a plan. She talked gently to the jars and crates stacked up against the wall. She promised them reunification because both of them needed to believe it was possible.

During breakfast the next morning, Stevie informed her mother that she wanted to spend the day making a map.

This wasn’t particularly out of the ordinary. In the five months they’d stayed with Grandma and Grandpa, Stevie had been determined to learn absolutely everything she could about geography. She wanted to know exactly where they were, where all of the forty-seven states were located, and had even begun memorizing all the major highways. Her passion made up for Claudia’s severe depression, and Claudia was grateful for it. She’d read to her daughter in bed for hours, and when she grew tired, Stevie would read aloud in a small, hesitating voice that grew stronger and stronger with practice.

Depression seemed to strike her whenever Stevie needed her most. Her postpartum depression had been so severe that she’d decided to have her tubes tied. Fertility was not worth the risk of the spiral, the self-hatred so strong it felt like pain. These five months had been some of the worst in her life, but she’d gotten through them with her family supporting and loving her every step of the way. And with last night’s illuminated sky still warming her heart, she had the strength to join Stevie in the living room, as she unfurled a giant roll of paper.

As Stevie pondered what to draw, Claudia kept a hand on her shoulder. Even though she still felt worthless and weak, she could still give her daughter luck. She reflected on how Klaus’s return would not cure her depression. Still, depression had its ebbs and flows and was affected by external circumstances as well as internal ones. Reforming his body would not cure his post-traumatic stress disorder either, but ultimately, being together as a family would give them all a place to heal.

Stevie started by drawing the house on one end of the map. She drew lines for highways, stops for food breaks and shopping trips, and a destination by the sea. 

When Grandpa Mat inspected the map, he said, “You should be a cartographer. You’re a professional in the making.”

Claudia heard her mother crying in the kitchen, and reflecting back on the day, would marvel at her mother’s foresight. Maybe she simply accepted what Claudia was too hesitant to admit. Stevie had a plan to rebuild her father. She’d made a map.

***

The minivan had been supplied by an underground network, and the trunk was filled with Klaus’s crates and containers packed gently between their suitcases.

“There’s room if you want to come,” Claudia offered to her parents one last time.

After one final hug, her mother replied. “You go. We know you’ll come back safely. But it’s better to travel light. Don’t let us burden you.”

“You never have.”

“We’ll stay here and look forward to meeting Klaus under better circumstances,” her father said with a wan smile. “Maybe then we can plan a wedding.”

Claudia fought to hold back tears. She nodded and hugged him tightly.

***

The minivan sailed across the desert highway. They passed small towns occasionally, and Stevie counted cactuses on the side of the road. When she got bored, she created visions of jack rabbits and turkey vultures, which Claudia demanded be kept within the confines of the backseat.

“What’s the number one rule?”

“Don’t distract the driver!” Stevie yelped with a laugh.

At night they’d sleep by the side of the road, and Stevie would tell stories through glowing images and song until they fell asleep.

The next morning, Stevie pointed at a road sign and said, “My maps says to go here!”

As strange as it was taking directions from her small child, Claudia obliged and took them into a small city. They pulled into the parking lot of a modestly-sized mall and got out to stretch their legs.

“Should we bring Dad with us?” Stevie asked, her big eyes full of concern.

Claudia felt a lump at her throat. “I don’t think we can, sweetie. Let’s make this quick.”

Inside one of the big department stores, Claudia filled a basket with multiple pairs of men’s jeans and picked out some punk band t-shirts. Getting the shirts in such a decidedly unhip store seemed pretty silly, and she hoped they’d both be able to laugh about it soon. 

Stevie tried on several pairs of sunglasses and mugged for the mirror. “Should we buy these, Mom?”

“If you’d like them. They’re a little small for your father.” Claudia picked out an adult-sized pair that would obscure the glow of his eyes.

Stevie dashed into another row, and she followed, ignoring a customer who glared at her daughter for running. Claudia considered saying something to Stevie, but the thought of containing the girl’s excitement made her feel ill.

When she rounded the corner, she burst out laughing, finding Stevie wearing a faux-leather jacket twice her size.

“Do you think Dad will love it?”

She nodded. “It’s perfect.

***

Claudia’s heart quickened the moment she smelled the briny air. A seagull soared overhead. They were pretty far from Massachusetts, but she hoped the sights and smells of the sea might make Klaus feel a bit more at home.

They drove until along the shoreline until they found the secluded spot indicated by the map. There were no people or houses in sight. They pitched a tent close to the water’s edge and brought all the jars and containers there.

“So what’s the plan now, kiddo?” Claudia asked, placing the last of the coolers gently into the sand.

“Check the map.”

“I can’t read the map. It’s all pictures and symbols.”

Stevie picked up the long roll of paper and stared at it. “We gotta make Daddy out of sand and sea and give him his clothes. Then he’ll be all in one piece.”

The childlike logic didn’t quite make sense to her, but she wasn’t about to argue. Within the security of the tent, Claudia used sand and seawater to fashion a vaguely human form. It wasn’t detailed, little better than the average snowman she’d constructed with her roommates at college, but Stevie seemed to approve. Stevie laid a pair of pants, a t-shirt, and a jacket over the form. A redness crept into Claudia’s face when she realized she’d forgotten underwear, socks, and shoes.

Stevie delicately placed the sunglasses atop the figure’s head, careful not to crush his facial features. She was already treating their creation with a form of reverence.

“Are we ready?” Claudia asked.

Stevie nodded. With that, they began opening the jars, ripping the covers off of the coolers, and unfastening the suitcases. The glowing orbs spilled out of each container and danced around the tent.

“We gotta leave the tent now,” Stevie explained.

Claudia watched from the outside as the lights shimmered and zipped around inside the tent. The tent began gleaming so brightly that both of them turned toward the sea. Claudia held her breath.

After a few minutes, Claudia whipped around at the sound of the tent unzipping. Klaus emerged, shaking sand out of his clothes and afro. The moment he spotted them, he ran forward and scooped them both into a hug, twirling them around in the sand.


	14. Ok Pal

They danced across the beach and dipped their feet into the surf and hugged and laughed. While Stevie created a small horde of crabs to dance with, Claudia drew Klaus aside and kissed him deeply.

Lost in the soft glow of his eyes, she said, “If you ever need to talk about what you experienced out there…” She paused at the pain in his expression.

He turned to face the sea. “I probably won’t ever want to talk about it. Is that okay?”

Cupping his face with her hand, she replied, “Whatever you need is okay.”

He snickered, breaking through the tension. “What I need is boxers.”

They laughed until their sides hurt. They watched as Stevie created a crab the size of a wild pig and rode it around the beach.

“Are you okay?” he asked her.

Her heart pounded. “What do you mean?”

“You’ve lost weight. You look like you’ve been through a lot.”

“I think I’ll be better now.”

“Take all the time you need. We have a lifetime.”

With that, she broke and sobbed into his shoulder. They collapsed into the sand and held each other and wept. Stevie looked on at them curiously but decided their emotions were best left to each other and carried on with her playtime.

That night, they camped under the stars. When they were sure Stevie was fast asleep, they made love by the dunes. It was a sandy, gross, and an overall bad idea, but for Klaus, it gave him the tangible knowledge that he was once again alive and embodied. He may have been reformed from the sea and the sand, by luck and transformative magic, but despite the strangeness of the mechanisms, he was once again an Unknown.

***

As the minivan continued down the highway, something important occurred to Claudia. “Remember how I couldn’t tell you about my job?”

“I always wondered about that. Why couldn’t you tell me? I’ll be honest, I tried not to feel hurt about it, but I was worried you didn’t trust me.”

“I did trust you,” she replied, grimacing at the knowledge she’d caused him doubt. “But I couldn’t tell you because Aqua read minds, and she forbid us all from telling even family about our operations. I knew if I told you, I wouldn’t be able to keep it from her, and I really needed the job.”

“I wish I didn’t understand her need for secrecy and control, but given what we’ve faced, I get it.”

“Yeah, I’m still wondering how we were identified on the train. I have a bad feeling your contact Carl Smith got busted. I’ve been trying to get in contact with Brenner for months now, but it’s been radio silence. I suspect they’re on the run like us.”

“Maybe it was best you and Stevie left the city,” Klaus considered.

“I really don’t want to think what happened to you needed to happen.”

“Tell me about it.” Klaus still wasn’t certain whether he wanted to view his dismantling as a necessity for keeping his family safe or a terrible tragedy. He figured he might come to a conclusion about it someday, but for now, he preferred not thinking about it at all. Moving down the highway toward something completely different felt like essential progress.

Claudia continued, “Anyway, my job mostly involved scrubbing old records to hide the whereabouts of Unknowns and Unknown communities. I was involved in crafting fake documents and providing access to resources and networks to Unknowns in the general area. The reason I bring this up is, we’re about a half hour away from one of the Midnight Cities that didn’t get bombed. And I’ve heard rumors about this city from the people we provided our services to. I’ve heard that in the tallest tower there’s a safe containing our central mythology book.”

“You believe in that?”

“I don’t know. I believe a book of myths about us exists, but whether it really contains any true answers about who and what we are, I don’t know.”

“Are you’re bringing this up because you want to check it out?”

A strong feeling in her gut prompted her to nod yes.

“Well, we’re close, and we have luck on our side. And it might be worth showing Stevie an old Midnight City, helping her understand our history and what our people created in even our darkest hours.”

“I want to go! I want to go!” Stevie demanded from the backseat.

All the Midnight Cities looked very distinct, and Klaus was grateful for that as he didn’t want to return to a place that resembled the one where his body had first been obliterated. This city no longer had its dome and resembled an abandoned Chicago more than anything. The ghost town, ghost city, felt surreal—peaceful yet post-apocalyptic—but being with family made it feel more like an adventure than anything.

They parked outside the tallest skyscraper, and after they got out of the car, Stevie turned them all into purple falcons. They soared over the rooftops, swooped and dived, and then finally reconvened and slipped inside a broken window on the top floor of the tower.

Approaching the giant safe with its door swung open, Klaus said, “Well, it looks like something was here.”

“I wonder who took it,” Claudia mused, touching the smooth metal safe that took up the majority of the space. “Hopefully, one of our people.”

Stevie dragged her parents back over to the window, and they sat in some old office chairs, watching the city skyline. She’d always loved watching the world from on top of their apartment building, so this gave her a sense of nostalgia mixed with wonder at the grandness of a city built by Unknowns.

“I’m so thankful,” Klaus said. “You’ve both done so much to make sure we’re all together again. I love you two so much.”

“We love you too, Klaus.” Claudia pulled her chair closer to his and rested her head on his shoulder.

Stevie did the same and nuzzled in close, and for a moment, all three were at peace.


	15. Another Wave From You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Definitely a darker chapter with violence. All prior warnings apply here.

From their vantage point at the top of the tower, they saw the line of military vehicles flow like poison down the empty streets, converging on their location. Claudia stared down in horror, and a wave of nausea overtook her. How could she have been so unlucky, bringing her family straight into a trap? Stevie turned back into a purple falcon, but then Klaus spotted some weaponized drones flying up toward their location and ordered her to turn back. Stevie looked stricken as they raced toward the staircase.

Klaus picked Stevie up and put her on his shoulders, and together they bolted down the stairs. Claudia led the way, knowing they needed to retreat further into the building, find somewhere to make a stand. A chilling sense of inevitability threatened to overwhelm her—somehow this was luck—but she tried to ignore it. Behind them, a drone whirred.

“I want to help,” Stevie demanded.

“Wait,” Claudia said. “We will let you know what we need.” She knew Stevie’s powers would be essential for getting out of this mess but felt her daughter was still too young to properly strategize—her ideas were still silly and spontaneous.

They entered the door to the third floor, an office sprawl of cubicles with all the computers, chairs, and office supplies removed.

“Stevie, I need you to turn us invisible and place an invisible barrier against the door.”

“Let me down.”

Klaus set Stevie back on the ground, and she stared at the windows for a few seconds. “Why do we need to be invisible?”

Claudia tensed. “Please just do it, Stevie.”

In that instant, the door burst open and a drone flew into the room. Before anyone could react, an electrical current struck Stevie in the back and she fell forward. Time seemed to move slower, as Claudia dove across the floor and got her arms beneath Stevie’s body to cushion her landing. She trembled and held her limp daughter close.

Klaus created a beam of light that enveloped the drone. The beam didn’t waver, and he didn’t even break a sweat; this new body built from water and sand and love was a better, stronger container for his soul. He could protect his family without risking his life.

But then another drone appeared at the doorway, and before he could react, the current struck him as well. He crumpled to the floor, not unconscious like Stevie but too dazed and weak to respond.

Claudia watched impotently as soldiers exited their vehicles and flooded into the building. Soon they were rushing into the room, and she was handcuffed and a bag was placed over her head. She felt a blow to the back of her head and heard an order to stop making noise. She shook in her efforts to suppress her tears.

Had she done this to her family? Had her depression weakened her powers? No, the truth was that somehow in some twisted, horrible way this was luck. It had to be luck. Disgusting, perverted luck.


	16. Splendor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains disturbing themes including racism, exploitation of the oppressed, and violence. Reader discretion is advised.

“This is the Welcome Center,” a sneering human woman explained to them as if they couldn’t read the sign. “Here, your abilities will be logged and you will be assigned a duty to keep our great city running smoothly. Here at Splendor, everyone has a purpose.”

The ache in Klaus’s soul was strong enough that it made him wish the soldiers had simply killed them outright. It was a hopeless, dangerous sort of despair, and he hoped it would pass quickly.

And it would. As a young child, Klaus developed a rich understanding of slavery, white supremacy, anti-blackness, civil rights, and black power; the more he learned, the more he felt he’d only scratched the surface. It was this knowledge of history—his understanding of America’s exploitation of bodies like his—that shifted his despair to rage. Seeing the enslaved Unknowns, many of whom were black, forced to work in the Welcome Center set his resolve to burn all of Splendor to the ground.

Claudia’s thoughts also dwelled on the annihilation of Splendor. When they’d logged her Unknown powers as “Able to dodge ammunition,” she said nothing, thought nothing, and hoped there were no Unknowns with mind-reading powers. She didn’t want anyone else held culpable for her deception. She reasoned that this was how people were kept in line around here. Lies and acts of rebellion did nothing but hurt the vulnerable.

When the men in spacesuits came for her daughter, her screams tore her throat hoarse. She had wanted to keep a low profile, she had warned herself that this would likely come to pass, but the reality of seeing her daughter ripped out of her arms obliterated all prior reasoning. Klaus was forced to hold her back despite the bile in his own throat. They had to stay alive. Their deaths meant nothing unless they could take those in power with them.

As the helmeted guards carried Stevie away, they forced her head into a metal sphere that obscured her features. It would prevent her daughter from using any of her abilities and make it easier to cast her as inhuman, fodder to be exploited and destroyed.

A man in a suit approached them. “Welcome to Splendor. My name is Joseph S. Splendor, not my real name—I’m aware some of you people derive power from knowing real names. I am the founder of this grand city. Welcome to my life’s work.”

Klaus tried to keep his face neutral. He didn’t want to seem intimidated, but the fact the founder felt comfortable enough to give tours to new Unknowns with potentially misclassified powers showed how secure he considered the city. Any hope that this place had surface level defects was vanishing.

They followed him and the armed soldiers followed them. He showed the fields where Unknowns who controlled plants were forced to produce a harvest, factories where Unknowns were forced to generate endless products to be sold to neighboring towns, and farms where Unknowns with the ability to talk to animals were forced into menial labor.

“Ahh, and I’d be remiss not to show you the hangings.”

Klaus stopped and felt a gun barrel press into his back. He continued forward. He saw a look in Claudia’s eyes and wasn’t quite able to read it but maybe that was because his breathing was becoming hitched and he feared another panic attack was imminent and this was not the time to show off the range of his powers and let his captors know how powerful he could be when pushed to dangerous levels.

“It’s a pity it needs to be done, but we unfortunately have no shortage of resistors. I’d love to see a week without hangings, but we haven’t had a week like that in such a long time. Truly a pity,” he explained as he led them toward three occupied gallows. “We were able to give last rites to the two who professed Christianity, but the Lakota man in the middle, we had no religious official who he’d agree to speak with. We do our best here at Splendor, but we’re not perfect.”

The look in Claudia’s eyes had grown desperate, and within the fog of panic, Klaus latched on to one moment of clarity and knew what she was asking. He nodded.

Claudia nodded back. When the trapdoors opened simultaneously, the three ropes broke on command. The scene erupted into chaos as the Lakota man vanished and the two women on either side of him vanished one by one in the seconds after.

“Find them! Use the Inferred! And you,” he turned with a gruesome smile. “Let me assure you that those three will be located and their executions rescheduled promptly. This is no loss to me. Because now I understand what you are. You are an Unknown who prevents others from dying. Guards, take the man to the energy generation room. The woman comes with me.”

***

Claudia was thrown into a plastic dome with finger-sized air holes. It looked like something that might contain a hamster. The dome was in the center of Joseph S. Splendor’s central office, where he and his colleagues ran the city. From here, she learned that the three condemned Unknowns had been recaptured. There was a transmission from another city in which the leader apologized for his earlier reluctance and agreed to all of Splendor’s terms for the trade deal.

She hoped desperately that these victories were inevitable, that they weren’t the result of them leeching her luck.

The dome was too small for her to stand or stretch entirely. She curled into a ball on the hard tiled floor and tried to focus on breathing. When the lights of the office went out, she rolled on her side. She noticed deep grooves in the plastic and reached out to touch them. Someone else had been kept her, someone so desperate that they’d tried to claw their way out. They’d gotten out of here somehow, which she supposed meant they were dead. She didn’t know quite how to feel about that. When she dreamed, her nightmares were of Klaus and Stevie.

***

A film that had always stuck with Klaus was _A Clockwork Orange_. He’d begged his parents to let him watch it with them and then spent the entire film feeling conflicted—should he admit that they’d been correct and that twelve was way too young to process such disturbing images? Ultimately, pride won out, and he sat through the entire movie in rigid terror.

He remembered this incident as the guards hooked him up to a machine that clamped his eyes open. Had they stolen this idea from the movie? Nothing about this place was original, from its exploitation of the marginalized to its use of executions to keep people in line. This place was an amalgamation of America’s worst impulses and sins.

He could feel the blood trickling down his face from the metal boring into his eyelids. His light was being used to power a battery that would then power this city, or maybe it would be sold to another city equally willing to buy into his exploitation.

***

Because of the metal orb trapped on her head, Stevie didn’t yet realized she’d been thrown like Rapunzel into a former lookout tower so high above the city that her abilities couldn’t extend to the city below. For a while, she’d screamed, but the echo of her wails against the container still made her ears ring even though she’d calmed down almost an hour ago. Her crying continued, sniffing and weeping softly. Somewhere though, beyond the sadness and the pain, she began to consider a plan.


	17. Year One, One UFO

When her tears finally subsided, Stevie closed her eyes and imagined vines sprouting from her head. The image made her giggle as did the sensation of plant stalks tickling her scalp. She laughed harder as the stalks extended past her ears and brushed against her arms. Then the vines expanded, growing thick and strong; they bent and twisted the metal helmet until it clattered to the floor, twisted and ruined.

Stevie blinked a couple times, drinking in her surroundings. The room was tall with white, blank walls. She spotted a window high above her head, so she materialized a flight of stairs. In hindsight, Stevie wondered at how foolish the soldiers had been, giving a prisoner a perfect, eagle-eye view of the city below. She could see the replica of the White House in the city center, factories and farms, each of the city’s exits and entrances, and where all the guard towers were located. A wave of distress washed over her as she realized she had absolutely no clue where her parents were, but she figured if she freed the city, she would inevitably save her parents, so that would have to be the plan.

As she hopped from the last step to the floor, the staircase vanished behind her. A box of chalk materialized, and she grabbed the black chalk and made a large dark circle on the wall. In the middle of coloring it in, she paused and fashioned a giant block of marble to lean against the door. If they wanted to lock her in, then she would keep anyone who wanted to interfere with her plan out.

Once the circle was sufficiently dark, she climbed inside. She imagined a tunnel going upward and shimmied up it like a slide at a playground. She pulled herself through the floor of a child-sized UFO and as she sat in the little pilot’s chair, the hole in the floor vanished. The controls of the ship resembled those of a video game more than anything, and after studying them for a few minutes, she moved the joystick so the vessel was hovering in the air.

She guided the UFO down to the ground carefully and soared gently over the city until she saw soldiers in spacesuits aiming guns at her ship. The ship shot back into the sky and out of the reach of their weapons. She needed a weapon of her own, and after contemplating what sort of weapon would work best, she created a giant red button on the side of the joystick and weaved the ship back down to the ground.

A couple bullets clanked uselessly off the hull. With each push of the red button, a white and black beam fired out of the ship, and whenever it struck someone, the soldier was turned instantly into a cow. She laughed gleefully as the streets filled with cows. The beams only affected soldiers—any Unknowns hit with the beam began smiling uncontrollably but suffered no other ill effects.

Stevie zoomed toward the White House and bashed through its walls, creating a UFO-shaped hole in the side. Guards from inside the building fired upon her, but they were morphed into cows, cows, and more cows.

She burst through ceilings and walls until she finally arrived at the center of the building where her mom was held trapped like a hamster. She fired at the men hiding behind their desks and was frustrated when the beam seemed to miss every time. Taking careful aim with a hastily-imagined secondary weapon, she fired a heat ray, which melted the top of the plastic dome. Claudia burst out and leapt toward the UFO. Its surface became intangible, and the vessel doubled in size. The next thing Claudia knew, she was sitting next to her daughter as a copilot. In an instant, the room was filled with cows.

They bashed through the White House roof, and as they flew above the city, Claudia served as a lookout.

“Can you evaporate the tops of those buildings? Perfect, honey that’s exactly it. Now send your beam down in the factory. Perfect, honey you freed all those people!”

Large sections of the city had already been taken by freed Unknowns, and with every factory they liberated, more Unknowns took to the streets and began using their abilities to arrest the human guards.

When Claudia spotted the building where Klaus was being kept, she shouted with joy, and they plummeted downward. Stevie burst through the walls of the Energy Plant and obliterated the restraints of all the Unknowns inside. After she’d found and freed Klaus, she landed the ship and launched herself into his arms. Claudia raced up from behind and caught them both in a deep hug.

When they left the facility with the rest of the Unknowns, they were met with a crowd led by the Lakota man who Claudia had saved.

“We never lost hope that a family like yours would come along,” he said, stretching out his hand.

Claudia shook it with tears in her eyes. “Stevie, do you have anything you’d like to say?”

The girl, made shy by the eyes of hundreds of grateful onlookers, buried her head in her mother’s neck and said in a little voice, “I love all of you.”

She grinned bashfully at the crowd’s collective “Aww.”


	18. Fountains

The bricks of the factories were disintegrated and reformed into fountains that lined the stream rushing through the city.

The cows were loaded onto a train and sent to a nearby town. Halfway through the journey, once they reached the barrier of Stevie’s control, they transformed back into very confused humans.

Meanwhile, the fields exploded with crops and flowers as Unknowns who had been holding back unleashed the full potential of their majesty.

Klaus and others who could generate light produced enough heat and light and energy to last the next six months.

It took a full two days to renovate the White House. The walls and ceilings were removed, leaving only the floors and foundation. In a city where weather could be controlled and buildings could be protected from rain, there was no need to create boundaries or shelter in the place where decisions affecting everyone would be made.

No one could quite decide what the new government should look like, so for now, the entire city gathered on the lawn to discuss their hopes and dreams. Unknowns passed around megaphones, and everyone had a chance to speak. 

It all felt so aspirational, so possible. They could create a city free from oppression and pain. But they needed to be ready to defend themselves. Those in power would inevitably come for them.


	19. Steve McQueen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All prior warnings still apply.

Splendor was renamed the Separatist City of Unknown Dawn. An Unknown named Jezebel used her powers to hijack every television in the continental U.S., and the Unknown Sanctuary formally announced its existence. Although their efforts were decidedly utopian, their fear of a backlash was unanimous. Adults and older teens gathered at the razed White House to discuss defense and strategy late into the night while the children played and went to bed in sleeping bags on the lawn.

When the meeting was adjourned for the night, Clark multiplied sleeping bags and pillows. A few Unknowns who didn’t need sleep kept watch. At 7 a.m., they ignited the sirens.

Claudia tossed her sleeping bag aside. She’d already been awake, finally feeling in tune with the luck coursing through her system, each heartbeat pounding with the knowledge that this was all meant to be. Joseph S. Splendor thought he’d use her luck for himself, but he had become a cow just like everyone else. She would show the world what real luck could do.

As the drones appeared in the distance, Claudia grabbed hold of Kay’s shoulders. Time slowed to a crawl as Kay’s powers radiated through the city. Chen, a speedster, carried little Angela over to them. When Claudia felt little Angela wrap her arms around her legs, her heart beat calmed: they could do this. Each time a missile emerged from one of the drones, Angela blinked and transformed it into a hawk. Claudia felt another hand on her shoulder and grinned. M smiled back as the drones burst into sparkles and confetti, which rained down upon the crowd of Unknowns who were awakening with trepidation and awe. Missiles streaking across the sky were rerouted; they exploded as distant stars in the upper atmosphere.

Klaus encircled Stevie in a protective hug, but she wasn’t scared. She was enraptured by the incredible feats and the absolute wonder of what her people could accomplish.

***

The complete failure of its first strike left the United States looking impotent on the world stage. While formulating a better plan, the military backed off and studied the Separatist City of Unknown Dawn from afar. They kept their distance until the Refugee March.

In a nearby city, approximately two-thousand Unknown refugees gathered to make the trek to the Separatist City of Unknown Dawn, favoring a strength in numbers approach.

A mind reader within the city infiltrated the minds of Pentagon officials and learned that the military planned to attack the Refugee March right outside their city walls, in an attempt to wipe out both the marchers and the city simultaneously.

As the marchers approached the city, Klaus stood right outside the lowered drawbridge, underneath a giant hand painted sign reading: “Refugees, Welcome to Dawn.” The convoy appeared at the horizon and was surrounded by a giant, hopefully impenetrable bubble.

Claudia rode on his shoulders and pressed her fingers into his hair, slowly massaging his scalp. Despite the extra weight, her presence was lightening and calmed him. He breathed in—he could do this without shattering. Tears streamed down his face as he breathed through the apprehension, terror, rage, and exhilaration, all coursing through his newly reborn frame.

When the convoy was fully in view, he nodded. Seven light beings created a wall of luminescence that magnified and encircled the convoy, giving it an added layer of protection. Drones that flew too close to the light evaporated in a rainbow mist. Another group of Unknowns stepped forward and all three dozen tanks were frozen in time. The metal of the tanks began singing and screaming, and the soldiers burst forth in a panic, shielding their eyes from the light. Once the soldiers had finished emerging, the tanks completed their transformations into metallic monstrosities, massive lions with glistening teeth. The giant beasts stalked the soldiers, who piled onto the remaining military vehicles and vanished back over the horizon.

As the Refugee March approached the city walls, Klaus began to see their faces, filled with a desperate hope they hadn’t yet dared to feel. He dared to feel it too.

***

The news of the approaching nuclear warhead made Klaus cry out in terror. He collapsed into a shaking mess. No one judged him or made him feel embarrassed; in fact, his reaction was quite common. Stevie wiped his tears away carefully and kissed his forehead.

Claudia stood at the center of the ruined White House. She locked her left arm with Kay and felt the surreal sensation of time crawling to a near halt. She locked her right arm with Era, who could make temporary effects, like those created by Stevie’s powers, permanent. Stevie held hands with a chain of shapeshifters and wrapped her other arm around Claudia’s leg.

Slowly, almost imperceptibly, the bomb elongated, its metal coating rippling and taking on a greenish hue. Metal fragments shot out, extending into arms and legs. The widening metal of the bomb blocked out the sun, making casting the city into shadow—a temporary Midnight City. A green, toothy, reptilian head emerged. The creation was set down just outside the city walls. He began to breathe. The Kaiju threw back his head and fire emerged from his throat and with it a warning metallic groan. The city’s newest protector turned toward the trembling residents and gave them a crocodile smile before setting out to stomp around the perimeter.

The world would not win. The Separatist City of Unknown Dawn was here to stay.


	20. Echoes of Mine

When Claudia ran her fingers across the cover of the book, she felt chills. They’d gone all the way to an abandoned Midnight City to search for this, gotten captured, almost lost themselves to a dystopian regime, and now spent their days as part of a utopian project—and now the book was here in her hands. It wasn’t the only copy either. An immigrant group that had arrived in the city last Tuesday arrived with dozens of copies they’d printed from an original that had been buried in a secure location none of them were willing to discuss.

It was odd. Even though it was a copy, there was something weighty and significant about the tome in her lap. The cover was black and embossed with a single golden word: Myths. Flipping through the stories quickly, she counted dozens of languages.

Since their arrival a week ago, Brenner had become a local celebrity. Not that they had much time to revel in their newfound fame. Working ten hour days, Brenner was determined to create a full translation of the mythology book into English and then Spanish and so on. With the government choosing to quarantine the city and avoiding direct confrontation, the Unknowns within were able to thrive and focus on their passions, arts and sciences and the beautification of the city.

“Are you going to finish that?” Brenner asked.

Claudia eyed them suspiciously. “Yes, that’s my sandwich.”

“You’ve been staring so lovingly at that book I thought maybe you weren’t hungry.”

“Not sure why you’d make that assumption.”

They both snickered. It was like old times but without the constant fear. She loved spending time here but knew that once lunchtime was over she’d be more of a distraction than an asset.

She turned around upon hearing a knock at the door, and her face brightened when she saw Klaus carrying Stevie on his shoulders.

“We came to find you,” he explained. “At 2 o’clock, there’ll be a conference call with an underground group in Alaska. They’re in a tough spot and need all the help they can get. We’ll need your luck.”

“Sounds good. We’ll make our way there after lunch.”

Stevie and Klaus each picked up a book from the pile and began flipping through.

“Why are all the pages at the end blank?” Stevie asked.

“I’d been wondering that,” Claudia added.

“Well, I have no clue. I’m just the translator. We’ll be keeping it consistent in the new editions though. If there is a purpose, I don’t want to mess with things too much. Granted, if it’s just a printing error, we’ll all feel pretty silly… Klaus?”

“Umm, the edition I have… it doesn’t have any blank pages at the end. None of the editions do from what I’ve seen. I’m not quite sure what you’re all talking about.”

His hands shook a bit as he handed the book back to Brenner.

“Klaus,” they said quietly. “Your light. It’s illuminating a text. Come over here. Maybe I can read it.”

What they read was a mysterious poem. Claudia knew a bit of French from high school, but she couldn’t quite discern the meaning. She enjoyed the sound of the words, the cadence of Brenner’s voice. 

Outside the room, the sky lit up. The achingly bright lights blared through the windows as though angels had descended upon the earth. By the time they all scrambled outside, the lights had dimmed enough for them to see. The sky was filled with UFOs. Unknowns continued to pour out of nearby buildings, their eyes turning skyward, their mouths hanging agape. No one spoke just yet. Even the kaiju raised his head in confusion.

A single UFO landed just outside the city walls, and after some debate, a team was elected to approach the vessel. Claudia and Klaus watched from atop the drawbridge, not willing to endanger themselves for Stevie’s sake. They watched as humanoid aliens emerged from the ship to meet the team. There were four of them: a green one with a long neck, a stout purple one who looked a bit like a bird, a tall one with the head of a mouse, and a blue one with two heads.

After a few minutes of discussion, the team gave an all-clear sign to lower the drawbridge. All of the ships in the sky landed, and Unknowns split off so that each ship would have its own set of visitors. Klaus, Claudia, Stevie, and Brenner trekked with some others to one of the ships that had parked farther off.

When Klaus set Stevie down, she ran right up to a mouse headed alien and gave her a big hug.

“We were once like you,” said a green, big-eyed alien, wiping away tears. “We mutated and were unwanted by our people. Now we monitor the skies for calls from mutants, and when we heard you speak our most sacred prayer, we came immediately.”

A purple alien explained, “We terraform worlds. We create places free from want or need. We would like to offer your people as many planets as you need to stay safe.”

Claudia’s first reaction was to feel conflicted. What would it mean to leave this world that she’d worked so hard to improve, to leave everything she’d ever known, and to leave her parents who had sacrificed so much? Klaus felt similar. He owed something to this earth and to all the people who had worked so hard to keep him alive. This world had good things, good people who had nourished him in times of need—did he owe it to them to stay?

But looking down at Stevie, who had missed out on so much already and whose safety was far from guaranteed, they made their decision. They needed to be able to raise their daughter somewhere safe, somewhere that would enrich her spirit and where she could truly express the wonder of her powers. They could put their efforts into establishing a new world, and then someday, with less obligations, they could return and assist the Earth.

A vast majority of Unknowns made the same decision: leave the Earth, at least for now. Thousands gathered into spaceships, not just outside the Separatist City of Unknown Dawn, but throughout the world. Claudia and Klaus drank in one last look before the doors closed. Regardless of whether this was an act of bravery or courage, victory or surrender, it was hard to let everything they’d ever known go.


	21. Klaus I Love You

A wave of exhilaration struck Claudia the moment the spaceship touched down on solid ground.

“Before we open the doors, we will need to expose you all to the new gravity and atmospheric conditions of this new world. There is a chance that for some of you, your mutations were limited by the atmosphere of the Earth. If you find yourself transforming into something else, into your true form, do not be surprised, and most importantly do not be afraid.”

Claudia nodded and accepted this until Klaus’s hands began to fade.

Klaus cried out in shock. He’d always associated bodily disintegration with pain, but this felt good—right—like it was always meant to happen. His legs were now fading too, but his hands had already returned, sparkling and glowing with a brown, warm luminescence. He was light, but not quite light, and skin, but not quite skin. He wasn’t disintegrating—he was finally integrating. His human form had finally melded with his inner light to become a singular whole.

“Klaus,” Claudia said in awe. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Klaus plucked a single hair from his afro and wondered at its sparkle and glow. But his attention turned to their daughter whose form was now ever-shifting. Eyes appeared and disappeared, images danced on her skin like vibrant tattoos, and she took on appearances of countless others. Her appearance stabilized for now, but now, she was what she was always meant to be—a shapeshifter whose appearance changed with her desires and mood.

And then Claudia was changing too, her image like stained glass fracturing: fractals, kaleidoscopic, and shimmering. Her skin glowed with possibilities and potentials. She wrapped her arms around Klaus and held him close, and his light refracted through her in brilliant radiance.


	22. Outro

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!

When Eri and Mat first learned of the fate of their daughter, they cheered but then spent the rest of the night weeping in each other’s arms. It was for the best, they both agreed, even if that meant never seeing each other ever again. They had done everything in their power to project Claudia and later Stevie. If their safety was ensured on another planet, then they couldn’t begrudge their leaving. But could they blame themselves for mourning the fact that they would never get to know Klaus, that they would miss watching their beloved granddaughter grow into a confident, radiant adult?

Mat and Eri spent the next few days as ghosts, milling about the house, detached, unspeaking.

***

The city was rebuilt on this new planet. It was reminiscent of the old city, but few would be reminded of the former Splendor. The city pulsed and glowed like the Midnight Cities once did, but creativity wasn’t reined in by Earthly limits. Klaus and Claudia had built their mansion overlooking the new city. It was far enough away from the bustle and lights to have peace but close enough that they could see their city friends, and they often dined with Brenner in the evenings.

Their mansion was made out of vines and leaves. It was a spectacular, living creation. On this new planet named Dawn, Unknowns dedicated their lives to creativity. The mansion was a masterpiece designed by a group of Unknowns who created through the medium of planets.

Klaus dedicated his days to storytelling through light and shadow and to preserving Unknown history. Meanwhile, Claudia bounced around the city, helping out as needed, uncertain what she wanted her career and life to be like. She enjoyed the spontaneity of it all, helping different people each day, spreading her luck throughout her people. 

Recently, she’d been offered a position as a conflict mediator, and last night, she decided she would take it. Although she would miss following her luck wherever it guided her, she knew she could do a lot of good helping to keep this city peaceful and its population healthy and content.

Stevie was eating waffles and babbling on about how excited she was for school when suddenly she began to cry. Claudia and Klaus both stopped what they were doing and sat down beside her.

“Grandpa used to make me waffles,” she said between gulps of air and sniffling.

Claudia turned away and let Klaus comfort her. When Stevie went back to her room to change out of her pajamas, Claudia broke down at the kitchen sink, and Klaus went to comfort her as well. Somedays she felt so seamlessly integrated into this new Eden, and other days, she felt immense guilt for leaving her parents back on Earth.

She wasn’t alone. Often, meetings were called, and outside the city limits, the residents would come together to discuss larger problems facing their new civilization. Typically, these involved minor quibbles, but now the conversation turned frequently toward loss—the loss of their beloved humans who had protected them, who had fought against police states and dedicated their lives to ending the injustice against Unknowns. Often, aliens attended these meetings, and during these conversations, they would often talk amongst themselves, looking increasingly uncomfortable.

“What can be done about this?” An Unknown finally asked. “Can we bring our human loved ones to live here with us?”

One of the aliens stepped forward and said, “We’ve never been asked such a thing. None of us have ever had allies amongst our former people. We were cast out by friends and even our own spouses and families. To us, this is highly irregular.”

Another Unknown said, “We can develop a list of names, of people we would like brought here. I’m sure the other cities would do so as well.”

“We will consider your request.”

***

A crowd gathered outside of the city. Children made posters and adults set up banquet tables filled with multiplying foods. Claudia couldn’t stop looking to the sky.

The sky filled with UFOs.

At first, there were simply gasps and silence. Then cries of joy, tears, people hugging and praying. As the ships landed, Stevie ran forward, somehow knowing which way to do. Klaus held Claudia’s hand and led the way as she could barely see through her tears.

Eri and Mat walked hand in hand down the gangplank. The moment they’d stepped onto this alien world, Stevie rushed up and hugged them, her little arms stretching to wrap around both of them.

Claudia and Klaus joined in the hug too. Mat took a step back and grinned, taking in the image of his family. Finally, after years of heartache, he would spend the rest of his life with these beloved people.

The rest of the day was spent picnicking and catching up, enjoying the sun that never seemed too hot and the breeze that never seemed too cool.

In time, there would be a magnificent wedding, attended by hundreds. With Mat standing on one side and Eri standing on the other, Claudia would walk down the aisle in a dress woven from starlight. Stevie would gleefully romp ahead, sprinkling flower petals from a bottomless basket. And as Claudia and Klaus stared into each other’s eyes and said their vows, they would feel the infinite love of a new Dawn.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! This project is an attempt to overcome a really extreme fear of publishing.


End file.
